Bilingual Children With Communicative Disorders: Referral Guidelines

Classroom teachers often have difficulty identifying children from bilingual backgrounds who should be referred for testing when a language disorder is suspected. If communicatively disordered children from minority language backgrounds are to be identified, it is important to provide teachers with the information necessary to make appropriate referrals.

This four-page handout includes guidelines for distinguishing normal communicative differences from behaviours that may be indicative of a disorder. These guidelines can serve as a basis for teacher in-service programs. Thirty copies of the form are included.